#DD17: There is No Western Conspiracy Against the Arab World

Speakers for

Speakers against

Dr. Guma El-Gamaty (Libya)
Khalil Dekiki (Morocco)

Moderator

Asma El Haj

Location

Tunis, Tunisia

Language

Modern Standard Arabic

About this Debate

After the high expectations brought by the "Arab Spring", the Arab world is divided: there are those who believe that the region is at the mercy of Western conspiracies and those who no longer doubt that the problems plaguing the Arab world are caused by the Arabs themselves.
Many believe that Western colonialism created divisions and limitations that did not exist before in the Arab world and now seeks to weaken Arab countries and use them for their own interests, including for Israel's security, oil, limiting illegal immigration, and as a venue for the realization of a new Cold War with Russia and China. At the same time, there are those who consider that the current crisis of the Arab world is a product of the recent history of these countries, where corruption and bribery often run rampant. This prevents the emergence of healthy and modern states, and instead supports regimes with a lack of respect for human rights who harm the economic standing of their country and prevent democracy from taking root.
#DD17 took on this controversial topic, with the motion: "There is No Western Conspiracy Against the Arab World." The debate featured two outspoken youth winners of the Musabaqat Munathara - Mariem El Heni from Tunisia and Khalil Dekiki from Morocco - alongside two expert opinion leaders, including former Libyan NTC coordinator in the UK and founder of the Taghyeer Party Dr. Guma El-Gamaty and Moroccan professor and writer Dr. Dr. Abdessamad Bilkabir.

The debate started with an audience vote: 28% for the motion - 72% against the motion

The team against the motion won the debate, the audience voted in the end of the debate: 24% for the motion - 76% against the motion